As the summer ends, many of us are now looking forward to cooler weather and to a vacation that you’ve been planning for a while. Maybe you and your spouse are hopping in the RV and going to Yosemite or Yellowstone to see some natural wonders and wildlife. Or you and a group of friends are going to Spain to wander the streets of Seville and Cordoba, touring the beautiful Moorish buildings and gardens. Are you going to cancel the trip of a lifetime because your knee is hurting? Not if I can help it!
Let’s talk about the realities of your knee pain. Maybe your knee has just started to hurt or maybe you’ve had arthritis for a while. If you know you have a big trip planned, your knee is hurting and it hasn’t responded to the normal at home treatments that have usually worked in the past, the best course of action is to come in and see me for consultation. The best time is now, a few weeks (months are better) before your trip, so we can get an accurate diagnosis of the problem and a treatment plan in place.
Depending on your diagnosis and the amount of time before your departure date, we will typically be able to get your pain under control and manageable for your trip, as well as work to stabilize your knee and provide protection from further injury.
How do we do that? Patients who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s who come to me with knee pain and have not suffered an injury, usually have arthritis or a torn meniscus. Meniscal tears happen easily as we get older and can simply occur when we twist our knee or just through wear and tear. Arthritis will show up immediately on x-ray. Meniscal tears usually require an MR scan to verify, but I have objective physical testing for that as well.
Prescription anti-inflammatory medications are the first business order for both diagnoses. We can try oral medications or a steroid injection for more severe inflammation, swelling and stiffness. These typically provide relief in less than a week.
At that point, I would also try to get you in for at least a few sessions of Physical Therapy to work on strengthening the muscles around your knee to provide stabilization for the walking/activities you need to do on your upcoming trip. The Physical Therapist can also use specific modalities to reduce inflammation and swelling in the knee and to speed healing. If you can complete three weeks of three sessions a week of PT, that would be a fantastic way to start your trip – you’ll thank me later!
I can also prescribe a knee brace for you to wear. There are many braces for specific diagnoses. Offloader braces help redistribute the weight of the knee to take pressure off a sore, arthritic spot. Maybe you simply need a Neoprene support sleeve for extra stabilization. We can find a brace that you like and will wear on your trip that will make activities more enjoyable.
I can prescribe an assistive device, like a cane. You might say to me, “No way am I taking a cane on my trip!” Nowadays, they have these cool, collapsible canes that are the size of a large ruler, that are easily unfolded when you need them and folded when you are done! They are conversation starters, for sure, and you never know who you might meet on your trip who asks about your cane!
When you leave on your trip, whether you are flying or driving, sitting in the same position for a long time can make your knee more stiff and painful. When driving, it is important to stop the car, take breaks, get out and stretch, walk, flex and bend your knee. Elevate it whenever possible. While flying, get up and walk around the plane whenever you can, taking a moment to stretch and bend. If you can wear compression stockings on long flights, do so. There are also specific exercises you can do on long flights for circulation and muscle activation. Ask me about them! Take an ice pack and get the flight attendant to bring you ice for any knee swelling you may have. They will be happy to assist you.
When walking and participating in all the fun activities on your trip, remember to take a break at a cafe’ to watch the world go by and give your knee a rest. If you have a particularly hard day walking and your knee hurts, plan a more leisurely activity the next day. Remember to use common sense. Stretch and do your at-home PT routine while traveling. It will help you immensely.
These are just a few of the treatments and recommendation I can utilize to get you on your way. I hope you have a wonderful trip. Bon Voyage!